A Slap In The Face For The NBA And Gamers Alike
Pros
-Controls: NBA Live 08 makes decent use of the Wii controls. To take a jump shot is as simple as snapping your wrist. This is one of the few things that makes me smile. I will even put my hand up like I was shooting the ball in a real game. This adds to the realism of the experience. When you go for a steal you have to actually use the correct hand or you don't get the steal. Makes you think just like a real defender.
-Family Play
Like Madden, NBA Live has added family play so that all can enjoy the title. I am not going to argue that this is a cool feature for those who aren't so great at video games. I do have a problem with the game being so easy for those who aren't using family play.
Cons
I can't think of anything else good, so let me list all of the bad stuff
-Too Easy: I think EA messed up when they made it so a simple wave of the Wii remote to the left or right causes a dunk or a lay up. To top that off, you will hardly ever miss...even with a hand in your face. If a defender is going for the block you might just see your character do a spectacular reverse or up and under. Anyone can beat anyone in online mode.
-Controls: Yeah I said the controls were good, right? While the game makes good use of the controls, good luck actually getting them to work. Expect to go up for a rebound about 5 seconds after you tried to. Also, the crossover moves on this game are horrible. If you can actually get the game to execute a crossover it will only be a short jab step that doesn't help you get by anyone.
-Team/Player Ratings: There is absolutely no separation between the leagues elite players and the scrubs on this game. I had the Washington's Wizards bench completely dismantle some of the elite teams in the league. I have never played a sports game who's rating system meant nothing.
-Online Play: Like I said before, anyone can beat anyone on this game. The first two or three games I played I obviously was an inferior opponent yet I was able to keep the games within 2-4 points. Basically all you have to be able to do is make it across half court and you score.
-Graphics: Way to go EA for making the players look so generic. With the exception of some of the arenas, the game already looks horrible for Wii graphics. So why did EA turn around and make all of the players look alike. Sure there are some things that stand out to let you know who a player is (ie...Etan Thomas has dreads, Jason Terry has long socks, etc.) but the average player looks like everyone else. This could be real disappointing when you are trying to play defense because the other team will not have their names showing. Unless you know each team's roster by heart and you can actually recognize the players on the other team, you won't know who to defend.
-Misc: I would like to see created players on this title. It might be nice. Also, how come there is just season play instead of dynasty mode. This game just needed a lot of work.
Overall
This game is still playable, but it is definitely worth the score that GS gave it. I think EA just tried to throw a game out there on a deadline instead of trying to make a good game that people will enjoy.